Strip measuring means for strip cutting machines



Feb. 19, 1963 w. A. MANALORIS 3,077,804

STRIP. MEASURING MEANS FOR STRIP CUTTING MACHINES Filed April 4, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ("x I i I'H O 3 0 g O G (O 0 1- IN V EN TOR.

VBY W A $0, 46

WILLIAM A. HANALORIS Feb. 19, 1963 w. A. MANALORIS 3,077,804

STRIP MEASURING MEANS FOR STRIP CUTTING MACHINES Filed April 4, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

CO \P WILLIAM A MANALORIS BY 5 W 52% his Attorney This invention pertains to strip cutting machines in which a web of material is continuously advanced through rotary cutters that operate on each cycle of rotation to cut a strip of material from the web. More Particularly, the invention relates to means for measuring the length of the strips being cut.

The length of the strip of material to be cut from the web can be controll d; for example, by adjusting the rotational speed of the rotary cutters, or by adjusting the speed with which the web advances to the cutters. In making adjustments in the machine so that a strip of material of a specific length will be cut with each cycle of the rotary cutters, it is necessary to take a series of measurements of the strips being cut until the desired adjustments are made and a strip of the desired length is obtained. It is also necessary to occasionally take a measurement of the length of the strips bein cut so as to determine whether there has developed any variation in the length of the strip that would require further adjustments to be made in the machine. If such measurements are not taken, and if a variation in the length of a strip has developed, a waste of considerable time, labor, and money may result. I This loss may prove costly, especially if the strips are undersize in length.

' An object of the present invention is to provide practical and efiicient means for taking at will an accurate measurement of the length of strips of material being cut by a strip cutting machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for taking such measurements without stopping the operation of the cutting machine.

' A further object of this invention is to associate with a strip cutting machine means for electronically measuring the length of a strip of the material being cut.

The invention further lies in the particular organization and general construction of the various elements thereof, and in their cooperative association with one another to effect the beneficial results intended herein.

'l he foregoing and other objects and advantages of this invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein an embodiment of the invention is illustrated. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description and are not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

The invention is illustrated herein in association with a paper strip cutting machine, though it may well be utilized in conjunction with a machine for cutting strips of plastic, fabric, metal, or other web material.

In the drawings:

P16. 1 is a schematic showing of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the scanning unit with portions broken away for convenience of illustration; and

' FIG. 3 is a plan view of the unit shown in FIG. 2.

In the drawings is schematically illustrated a conventional paper strip cutting machine 1. It includes the usual web advancing'means, such as a system of opportunely located gripping rollers generally designated 2, which rotate continuously during the operation of the machine. The'rollers function to frictionally grip a web of paper 3, draw it from a supply roll not shown, and continuously advance the paper over a supporting table 4 through an opposed pairof continuously rotating rotary cutter members 5 and 6. Each of the latter carries a 3,077,804 Patented Feb. 19, 1963 knife 7. The knives cooperate with one another during each cycle of the rotary members to sever from the web so much of the web as has passed between them, indicated at 8. In apparatus of this kind the length of the strip 8 that will be cut on on each cycle of the cutters may be varied by making corrections or adjustments as needed in the rotating speed of the cutters, or in the speed with which the paper advances.

Associated with the paper cutting machine is an electronic measuring system 9 which is adapted to measure the length of the paper strips being cut. The system 9 is subject to push-button operation by the operator Whenever he Wishes to obtain a measurement. If the measured length of a strip of paper cut from the web is found to vary from that which is desired, suitable corrections or adjustments may be made in the cutting machine until strips of the desired length are obtained.

The measuring system 9 includes an electronic counter 11 of conventional design which functions in Well known manner to count electrical pulses received by it, and to indicate as the counting proceeds a visible record of the count in decade windows 12. The pulses are emitted to the counter by a light responsive electronic device or emitter 13. Here, a germanium diode is utilized for the latter. The emitter is a component of a scanning unit 14. The latter includes a scanning disc 15 arranged to rotate between a suitable exciter or source of light 16 and the emitter. The scanning disc functions to interrupt at short equal timed intervals passage of light from the source to the emitter so as to cause emission of a succession of pulses from the latter.

Here, the scanning disc is formed of translucent plastic material. A surface of the disc has a series of radial lines thereon for blocking out the light. These are engraved in the surface of the disc and are of an emulsion material. The lines are spaced circumferentially an equal degree apart. 7 The advancing movement of the web 3 is translated by suitable means into rotating movement of the scanning disc. To this end, as appears in FIGS. 2 and 3, the scanning disc is supported for rotation as a unit with a measuring wheel 18 which is associated with the moving web of paper so as to be rotated by the latter. A hub 19 fixed at one end axially to a face of the scanning disc, and at the other to a face of the measuring wheel holds the scanning disc and the latter together as a unit in coaxial and parallel spaced relation to each other. The measuring wheel is formed of lightweight material, such as aluminum. It has a broad peripheral surface which is roughened or knurledthroughout, the roughened surface being only partially indicated at 18a for convenience of illustration. i

A suitable bracket 21 is arranged to support the scan-.

ning unit 14 so that the measuring Wheel 18 is disposed in frictional contact with the flat surface of the web. The bracket includes an elongated bar 22 having a horizontal stub shaft 23 at its lower end carrying a bearing 24 on which the measuring wheel is axially mounted for rotation. The bar is fixed at its upper end in a clamp 25 which is adjustably mounted to a beam 26 supported transversely above the web. When a lock screw 27 in the clamp is loosened, the bracket 21 may be angularly adjusted on the beam so as to bring the periphery of the measuring wheel into proper frictional contact with the surface of the web. Offset in parallel spaced relation to the bar 22 is a short arm 10 the free end of which extends between the measuring wheel and the scanning disc. The emitter 13 is mounted on the free end of the arm 10 in opposed relation to a face of the scanning disc: Extending at right angles from the arm ltlis a support 20 on which the light source 15 'is mounted so .,as tojextend in opposed relation to the emitter at the opposite face of the scanning disc. The arm 10 is mounted by means of screw and slot means 30 at its opposite end to the face of the bar 22, whereby it may be adjusted longitudinally of the bar 22 so as to vary as desired the radial disposition of the emitter and light source relative to the scanning disc. Screw means 50 extending through both the arm 10 and the bar 22 may be tightened or loosened as desired to vary the axial spaced relation of the light source and the emitter to opposite faces of the scanning disc.

The scanning unit is arranged, as appears in FIG. 1, so that the measuring wheel is in contact with the web rearwardly of the cutter members. It is clear that as the web advances over the measuring wheel and moves through the cutter members, it will cause the measuring wheel to rotate, whereupon the scanning disc is carried around with the latter and light from the source 16 will be periodically interrupted to cause the emitter to issue a succession of equally timed pulses. The spacing between the lines 17 and, as a consequence each pulse emitted corresponds to the movement of a predetermined portion of the web over the measuring wheel and through the cutter members. For convenience, and to serve as a standard of measurement, each pulse emitted indicates that onetenth of an inch of the web has passed over the measuring wheel and through the cutter members; and a complete cycle of the scanning disc corresponds to 300 pulses or an advancement of 30 inches of the web. Accordingly, the number of pulses recorded by the counter from one severance operation of the cutter members to the next indicates the proportionate length of the paper strip that has been severed from the web.

In FIG. 1 the measuring system 9 is shown in association with the paper strip cutting machine 1 ready to be operated at the will of the operator to effect measurement of the length of a paper strip to be cut from the moving web. As the scanning unit 14 is frictionally rotated by the moving web, a succession of pulses are emitted by the emitter, but these are short circuited or prevented from reaching the counter 11 by means of a gate 28 normally closed in a shunt line 29 connected across the output of the emitter 13. Accordingly, in order to enable a counting operation to take place it is necessary that the gate 28 be first opened so that pulses from the emitter may pass to the counter 11. The gate 28 is a swingable magnetic switch contact which is shiftable from closed to open position by a magnetic polar relay unit 31. The latter is part of a control circuit 32. It has a normal polar condition wherein the gate 28 is normally held closed, as in FIG. 1; and it has a reverse polar condition wherein the gate is magnetically held open. The control circuit serves to elfect opening of the gate at the start of a measurement operation, and automatic closing thereof at the end of the measurement operation.

The control circuit includes a double contact micro switch 33 having a spring contact arm 34 normally closed upon a contact 35, and shiftable on each cycle of the cutter members to close upon a normally open contact 37. The shifting is due to the action of a cam 36 on the upper rotary cutter member 5. The cam acts on each cycle of the cutter member to shift the contact arm 34 to the contact 37 and to hold it there for a brief period of time in which the knives 7 act to sever a strip of material from the web, whereupon the contact arm 34 springs back to re-close on contact 35. Closing of contact 37 establishes a circuit from a suitable source 38 to energize a neon lamp 39 to signal the fact that a severance of the web is taking place. The lamp is extinguished as the severance operation is completed and the contact 37 is re-opened.

If it is desired to take a measurement of the length of a strip of material being cut from the web, the operator conditions the control circuit for operation by momentarily depressing and releasing a push button 41 after the lamp 39 is extinguished. Depressing the pushbutton 41 closes a normally open contact 42, and opens a normally closed contact 43. Opening the latter contact breaks a line 44 in the counter circuit so as to cause any reading stored in the counter to be zeroized. Closing of contact 42 establishes a circuit from source 38, line 45, normally closed contact 35, now closed push button contact 42, relay A, and negative line 47 to energize relay A. Energization of the latter opens relay contact A4, and closes normally open relay contacts Al, A2, and A3. Closing of contact A1 establishes a holding circuit to maintain relay A after the push button is released. Energization of relay A conditions the control circuit for effecting a pulse counting operation on the next severance operation of the rotary cutters. As the upper rotary cutter 5 brings its knife 7 to sever the web 3, the cam 36 simultaneously acts to shift contact arm 34 from contact 35 to close on contact 37, whereupon the following actions take place: a circuit is established through now closed contact 37 to energize the signal lamp 39 to indicate severing of the web; another circuit is established through contact 37, now closed contact A3, polar relay unit 31, and negative line 47 to reverse the polarity of unit 31, whereupon the gate 28 is drawn open and pulses from the emitter are able to pass to the counter 11 to start the measuring count; and a further circuit is established through contact 37, now closed contact A2, and normally closed relay contact C2 to energize a relay B which in turn acts to close normally open relay contacts B1 and B2 closing the latter establishes a holding circuit to maintain relay B after the severance action takes place and cam 36 rides clear of contact arm 34 causing the latter to re-close on contact 35 and to re-open contact 37. Following the latter, the lamp 39 is extinguished.

At this time the leading edge of the web begins to advance through the cutter members, the latter begin to recycle in the direction of the arrows as indicated in FIG. 1, and counting of the pulses emitted by the emitter begins. As the cutter members are recycling and contact 35 is closed, a circuit is established through the latter and now closed relay contact B1 to energize a restoring relay C. Energization of the latter opens normally closed relay contacts C1 and C2 causing relays A and B to deenergize. The latter action reopens relay contact B1 to deenergize relay C. As relays A, B, and C are restored, their associated contacts are restored to normal condition. The condition of the polar relay unit 31 is not affected by the restoration of the latter relays, and it continues to hold the gate 28 open as the cutter members are recycling.

While the gate 28 is open, pulses from the emitter 13 are received by the counter 11 and progressively recorded. Counting of the pulses continues until the next severance action of the knives 7 takes place and the cam 36 shifts the arm 34 to close upon contact 37. When the latter occurs, a circuit is established as before through contact 37 to energize the signal lamp 39; and a further circuit is established through contact 37, positive line 48, resistors 49 and 51, polar relay unit 31, now closed relay contact A4, and negative line 47 to restore the polarity of the polar relay unit to normal condition, whereupon the gate 28 is drawn to closed position and further passage of pulses to the counter is thereby stopped. The recorded count of the pulses visible in the decades 12 of the counter will then represent the length of the strip of material that has just been severed from the web.

While an embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that the invention is not limited thereto, and it is my intent to claim the invention not only as shown and described but also in all such forms as may reasonably be construed to fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An electronic scanning unit comprising a light responsive pulse emitter adapted for connection of its output with an electronic counter, a light source for actuating the emitter, a scanning disc rotatable between the light source and the emitter for interrupting as it rotates passage of light from the source to the emitter at equally timed intervals, a rotatably supported measuring Wheel mounted fast to the scanning disc and having a peripheral surface adapted for frictional engagement with the surface of a moving web so that movement of the latter is translatable into rotation of the Wheel and the scanning disc as a unit, and a support common to the wheel, the emitter and the light source.

2. An electronic scanning unit as defined in claim 1 having an elongated bar as the common support, bearing means at the lower end of the bar rotatably supporting the wheel, a fixed elevated rod arranged transversely relative to the bar, and clamp means at the upper end of the bar adapted for supporting the bar to the elevated rod in a selected rotated position relative to the latter.

3. An electronic scanning unit as defined in claim 1, wherein the scanning disc and the wheel are disposed in parallel coaxial spaced relation to each other, and a hubelement of reduced diameter relative to both the scanning; disc and the wheel is fixed at opposite ends to opposed. faces of the scanning disc and wheel to hold them together as a unit.

4. An electronic scanning unit as defined in claim 3, having an elongated bar as the common support, wherein. an arm offset in parallel spaced relation to the elongated bar projects between the scanning disc and the Wheel, and the emitter is mounted upon the projection of the arm in spaced relation to a surface of the scanning disc and opposed relation to the light source.

5. An electronic scanning unit is defined in claim 4, wherein a series of radially extending light blocking line: markings are provided in the surf-ace of the scanning disc, a support extends laterally from the arm across the periphery of the scanning disc and supports the light source in opposed relation to the emitter at the opposite side of the scanning disc, whereby each passing of a light blocking line marking between the light source and the emitter serves to interrupt passage of light to the emitter.

6. An electronic scanning unit as defined in claim 5, wherein the arm is slidably adjustable longitudinally of the elongated bar so as to vary the extent of the projection of the arm between the scanning disc and the Wheel, whereby the position of the light source and the emitter relative to the inner and outer portions of the radially extending line markings may be controlled, the inner portions of the line markings being more closely concentrated than the outer portions thereof.

7. An electronic scanning unit as defined in claim 5, wherein the arm is adjustable in a lateral direction relative to the elongated bar to vary the proximity of the emitter to the adjacent face of the scanning disc, whereby the proximity of the light source relative to the face of the scanning disc and as a consequence to the link markings may be controlled.

8. In web strip cutting apparatus including a pair of continuously operating rotary cutter members adapted upon each cycle thereof to effect severance of a strip from a web of material passed between them, and including means for continuously advancing between the cutter members the web of material; an electronic measuring system for taking a measurement of the length of any selected strip of the Web to be cut, comprising a light responsive pulse emitter, an electronic counter connected in the output of the emitter, a light source for actuating the emitter, a scanning disc rotating between the light source and the emitter to interrupt at short equally timed intervals passage of light from the source to the emitter, wheel means connected to the scanning disc arranged to translate advancing movement of the web into rotating movement of the scanning disc, a signal light circuit including a normally open spring switch, and cam means carried by one of the cutter members for effecting simultaneously with each severance operation of the cutter members momentary closing of the spring switch to momentarily energize the signal light circuit, the number of pulses recorded by the counter between severance operations serving to indicate a corresponding length of the strip cut from the web.

9. In web strip cutting apparatus including a of continuously operating rotary cutter members adapted upon each cycle thereof to effect severance of a strip from a web of material passed between them, and including means for continuously advancing between the cutter members the web of material; an electronic measuring system for taking a measurement of the length of a strip of the web to be cut, comprising a light responsive pulse emitter, an electronic counter connected in the output of the emitter, a light source for exciting the emitter, a scanning disc rotating between the light source and the emitter to interrupt at short equally timed intervals passage of light from the source to the emitter, wheel means connected to the scanning disc arranged to translate advancing movement of the Web into rotating movement of the scanning disc, a signal light circuit including a normally open spring switch, cam means carried by one of the cutter members for effecting simultaneously with each severance operation of the cutter members momentary closing of the spring switch to momentarily energize the signal light circuit, an electronic gate in the output of the emitter normally blocking transmission of pulses from the emitter to the counter, and control circuit means for effecting opening of the gate at the time of a first severance operation of the cutter members and for effecting closing of the gate at the time of the next severance operation of the cutter members.

10. In a strip cutting machine including continuously rotating cutter means adapted on each cycle thereof to sever a strip from a web being continuously advanced over the cutter means; apparatus for electronically measuring the length of the strip being severed, the apparatus comprising an electronic pulse counter, a light responsive pulse emitter having an output circuit connected with the counter, a 1i gh-t source for exciting the emitter, a rotatable scanning disc for interrupting at equally timed intervals passage of light from the source to the emitter, means for translating the advancing movement of the web into rotational movement of the scanning disc, means normally shor-t-circu-iting the output of the emitter so as to prevent flow of pulses from the emitter to the counter, and circuit means operatively associated with the cutter means for disabling the short-circuiting means at the time of a first severance operation of the cutter means and for restoring the short-circuiting means to eifective condition at the time of the next severance operation of the cutter means.

11. The subject matter of claim 10, wherein a signal light circuit is operatively associated with the cutter means for energization of a lamp therein momentarily at the time of each severance operation of the cutter members.

12. The subject matter of claim 10, wherein means is provided for selectively associating the circuit means operatively with the cutter means.

13. The subject matter of claim 10, wherein the means normally short-circuitiug the output of the emitter is a line connected across the output of the emitter and a switch gate normally closed in the said line.

14. The subject matter of claim 13, wherein the gate is magnetic, and the circuit means includes a polar magnet relay having a normal polar condition holding the gate closed, and having a reverse polar condition holding the gate open.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,208,420 Gulliksen July 16, 1940 2,315,747 Terry Apr. 6, 1943 2,564,434 Holt Aug. 14, 1951 2,866,428 Stanfield Dec. 30, 1958 2,871,568 Bien Feb. 3, 1959 2,876,549 Adamson Mar. 10, 1952 

8. IN WEB STRIP CUTTING APPARATUS INCLUDING A PAIR OF CONTINUOUSLY OPERATING ROTARY CUTTER MEMBERS ADAPTED UPON EACH CYCLE THEREOF TO EFFECT SEVERANCE OF A STRIP FROM A WEB OF MATERIAL PASSED BETWEEN THEM, AND INCLUDING MEANS FOR CONTINUOUSLY ADVANCING BETWEEN THE CUTTER MEMBERS THE WEB OF MATERIAL; AN ELECTRONIC MEASURING SYSTEM FOR TAKING A MEASUREMENT OF THE LENGTH OF ANY SELECTED STRIP OF THE WEB TO BE CUT, COMPRISING A LIGHT RESPONSIVE PULSE EMITTER, AN ELECTRONIC COUNTER CONNECTED IN THE OUTPUT OF THE EMITTER, A LIGHT SOURCE FOR ACTUATING THE EMITTER, A SCANNING DISC ROTATING BETWEEN THE LIGHT SOURCE AND THE EMITTER TO INTERRUPT AT SHORT EQUALLY TIMED INTERVALS PASSAGE OF LIGHT FROM THE SOURCE TO THE EMITTER, WHEEL MEANS CONNECTED TO THE SCANNING DISC ARRANGED TO TRANSLATE ADVANCING MOVEMENT OF THE WEB INTO ROTATING MOVEMENT OF THE SCANNING DISC, A SIGNAL LIGHT CIRCUIT INCLUDING A NORMALLY OPEN SPRING SWITCH, AND CAM MEANS CARRIED BY ONE OF THE CUTTER MEMBERS FOR EFFECTING SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH EACH SEVERANCE OPERATION OF THE CUTTER MEMBERS MOMENTARY CLOSING OF THE SPRING SWITCH TO MOMENTARILY ENERGIZE THE SIGNAL LIGHT CIRCUIT, THE NUMBER OF PULSES RECORDED BY THE COUNTER BETWEEN SEVERANCE OPERATIONS SERVING TO INDICATE A CORRESPONDING LENGTH OF THE STRIP CUT FROM THE WEB. 